Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

During the past 12 months the public finances deteriorated following the extremely rapid decrease in growth rates. As a result, the economy is now contracting. This raises serious challenges for us in the short to medium term. I intend using the social partnership process as a means of seeking to address that issue in a timeframe that is credible at home and abroad.

Due to my interest in defending public services, I believe one should be in favour of public service reform. It is in the interest of upholding public confidence in public services that we be involved in public service reform. Reforms are taking place in every sector of the economy not alone in respect of competition in the environment in which we now operate but in respect of the new environment in which we will have to operate. Decisions and deals are being done between management and unions in every sector of the economy in order to maintain jobs to the greatest extent possible even though, as we know, this is predicated on the possibility of increased joblessness as the recession deepens and lengthens. This is what we must face up to.

The public sector is, in my opinion, willing to respond in the same way in respect of the delivery of efficient and effective public services. If we want to avoid, to the greatest extent possible, any diminution in front line services we must be prepared to deliver those services in a different manner than up to now. The one sure way of ensuring a problem in this area is to insist on delivery of such services in the same manner as up to now. This wider reform process, which is about redesigning the public service in the longer term, is a related issue, one which is just as urgent in terms of it having to be done over a certain timeframe, which is three years according to the recommendations. The recommendations have been made and we must now sit down with the unions and ensure the plan is implemented.

In respect of the immediate challenge ahead, in terms of our problem in respect of public finances, this will happen in the weeks and months ahead through social partnership engagement, which will be intensive and will seek solutions to these problems over a credible timeframe and, which will have the objective of maintaining front line services as best we can within the resources available. This can best be achieved through the flexibilities and work practices necessary to bring about a more effective public service.

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